Starting device for internal combustion engines



y 30, 1933- c. R. WASEIGE 1,911,414

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jime 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. R- Wal luv f0 1' WWW May 30, 1933. c. R. WASEIGE 1,911,414

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l6 '3 i I 1 1 I :1 $3 I a I Q) CQR. Wasei a ve. TOR

Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES RAYMOND WASEIGE, O13 RUEIL, FRANCE, ASSIGNORTO HENRI ET MAURICE FARMAN, OF BILLANCOURT, FRAN STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed June 18, 1931, Serial No; 545,304, and in France July 8, 1930.

The object of my invention is a starting device operating by inertia for an internal combustion engine particularly adapted to be used in connection with an air-craft en- 1ne. V

It is well known that the direct starting of an internal combustion engine requires the application of a powerful driving torque and accordingly necessitates a fairly considerable source of energy. Therefore, in the case of an electric starter, it is necessary to employ a fairly powerful motor, absorbing current of high amperage, which in-' volves the use of strong batteries.

In order to avoid this disadvantage, de vices have already been contrived allowing for the storing up, in a fly-wheel running at high speed, of a sufficient quantity of energy to insure, subsequently, the starting of the engine. These devices are provided with a fly-wheel connected to the engine to be started through a clutch. Said fly-wheel is actuated by a driving device through which it can acquire, when the clutch is disengaged, a suflicient kinetic energy to insure the starting of the engine once the clutch is let in.

A characteristic feature of my invention lies in the fact that the connection between the driving device and the engine to be started is such that the kinetic energy of the whole, or of the greater part, of the rotating parts of the driving device and of the transmission system interposed between the latter and the engine is added to that of the fly-wheel in order to insure the starting of the motor. This feature of my invention allows of reducing considerably the power required by the driving device.

hen the driving device consists of an electric motor, a second characteristic feature of my device lies in the fact that the clutch is so combined with a device adapted to control the feeding of the motor, that the feeding circuit is automaticallyswitched off when the connection is made, This prevents any risk of deteriorating the electric motor in case of an abnormal resistance of the engine to be started.

referred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings given merely by way of an example and in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of the electric motor and of its connection to the crank shaftof the internal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of my invention. 7 In Fig. 1, electric ,motor 1 drives fly wheel 2, which is keyed directly on its shaft, and it is connected to the crank shaft of the engine'to be started through a suitable reduction gear and a clutch; The reduction gear comprises pinion 3, adapted to be automatically disconnected according to a known arrangement. Screw 4, on which said pinion is mounted, is free to rotate about its axis 5 and the pinion is braked by a frictional member 6, the support of which slides longitudinally in grooves 7. of the gear case. The clutch is so devised as to make it possible, when so desired, to impart the rotary motion of the electric motor to screw 4. To this effect, screw t is provided, at its extremity, with dogs which may be engaged by those of a sleeve 8, the latter being adapted to'be rotated by shaft 5 through longitudinal grooves, so that it can slide on said shaft 5. The displacement of sleeve 8 is controlled by fork 9, which is itself actuated by a spring sliding rod 10, the whole device being so arrangedthat sleeve 8 will be normally disconnected. Sliding rod 10 is connected with a switch 17 which controls the feeding of electric motor 1, in such a manner that a traction exerted on the latter automatically switches off said feeding circuit.

The device works in the following manner: 1 In order to start the internal combustion engine, the electric current of a battery, or of any other source of electricity, is caused to flow through electric moto-r' 1, without operating sliding rod 10. Motor 1 will then be running on no load, since it will only considerable energy in the moving parts. However, the feeding current is very soon limited to a very small intensity, since the motor runs on no load. By operating sliding rod 10, sleeve 8 is coupled with screw 4, so that the latter is caused to rotate, this bringing pinion 3 into mesh with the wheel keyed to the crank shaft and starting the internal combustion engine. Once said engine is started, pinion 3 is automatically disconnected, in the well known manner. 7

It may be seen that, under these conditions, most of the parts belonging to the transmission system provided between the starter and the crank shaft, as well as the armature of said starter, are made use of, in addition to the fly wheel, for storing up energy under. the form of kinetic energy, prior to coupling the starter and the engine 'to be started.

Through the switch 17 the feeding current is automatically switched off as soon as sliding rod 10 is operated in order to con-' nectsleeve 8 and screw 1. It should therefore be noted that the internal combustion engine is never driven directly by the electrlc starter, 1. e., that the starter 1s never traversed by a current of hlgh intenslty, no

. matter what the resistance of the combustion engine may be.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 comprises the same main parts as shown in Fig. 1, but the pinion drives counter shaft 11 instead of actuating directly a wheel to a good working.

keyed to the crank shaft to be started. That particular arrangement allows of operating said pinion under the conditions of speed and of transmitted torque most favorable Counter shaft 11 isat right angles to the axis of the crankshaft and drives the latter through bevel pinion 12, in mesh with disk 13, which is provided with conical teeth and keyed to crank shaft 2. Said counter shaft is moreover employed 7 an internal combustion engine, a toothed wheel operatively connected with said crank shaft, an auxiliary shaft rotatably mounted, driving means adapted to rotate said auxiliary shaft, a screw loosely rotatable on said auxiliary shaft, an element rotatably connectedto said auxiliary shaft and adapted to CHARLES RAYMOND IVASEIGE. 

